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Operations and Safety Program
Are EMS equipment and training eligible?
Applicants can apply for training and equipment within the training and equipment activities under the Operations and Firefighter Safety Program. Ambulances are not eligible within this program area. All vehicles, regardless of function, must be requested in the Firefighting Vehicle Program.
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Are technical rescue equipment and training eligible?
Yes, technical rescue equipment and training should be applied for in the Operations and Firefighter Safety Program.
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Are thermal imaging cameras considered basic firefighting equipment?
While we can make the case that thermal imaging cameras are necessary for basic firefighting capabilities, there are no trade standards or Federal regulations requiring that firefighters have thermal imagers with them while engaged in firefighting activities. Applicants requesting thermal imagers must indicate that these devices have no statutory basis.
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Do all requests for SCBA have to be CBRN-certified?
No. CBRN-certified SCBA is eligible but not necessary to accomplish the missions of the majority of our Nation's fire departments. Applicants that are seeking funding for CBRN-certified SCBA must explain the need for such equipment in their narrative.
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What are the priorities for personal alert safety system (PASS) devices? Will stand-alone PASS devices that comply with the automatic activation feature be eligible?
ODP will give priority to applications with integrated or automatic-on PASS devices over applications with nonintegrated PASS devices.
Any PASS device that is NFPA-compliant is eligible. However, integrated or "automatic" PASS devices will be rated higher than PASS devices, which must be manually activated.
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What are the priorities for the delivery of training?
Priority1: Tested training (instructor-led and leading to State or national certification). Examples: classroom setting with instructor, in-house or offsite training, and interactive or real-time training
Priority 2: Instructor-led or guided (no testing component or certification). Examples: in-station training (simulations, drills, etc.), self-guided classes (workbooks, CDs, etc.).
Priority 3: Other training and training-related equipment. Examples: videos, multimedia presentations, and equipment (projectors, computer-training software, etc.)
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What are the training priorities for 2004?
For all communities, the following are examples of high priority training courses:
- Basic training
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) safety officer
- WMD preparedness
Examples of secondary priority training courses for all communities include the following:
- EMT-P
- Rescue technician (NFPA 1006)
- Technical rescue (NFPA 1670)
- Airport firefighting (NFPA 1003)
High priority training courses for departments in rural communities include the following (not in order of priority):
- Firefighter I and II (NFPA 1001 and 1002)
- Hazardous Materials Operations (NFPA 472)
- Rapid Intervention Team training
- First responder, EMT-B, and EMT-I
Examples of high priority training courses for urban and suburban communities include the following (not in order of priority):
- Hazardous materials technician
- Fire inspector
- Fire investigator
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When requesting breathing apparatus, how many SCBAs should I request for our firefighters?
The number of breathing apparatus needed for entry into environments immediately dangerous to life or health is directly linked to the number of firefighters who are trained and certified to conduct fire suppression or entry operations. Firefighters who are not trained and certified to conduct operations in these environments should not be issued breathing apparatus. For many departments, this equates to the number of firefighters that they could reasonably expect to show up at an event, i.e., the shift on duty.
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With the changing technology in communications, why are cell phones not allowed in the AFG Program?
There are several issues with allowing cell phones in the grant program. Under traditional means, they are not normally used for emergency communications. They are considered an ancillary device that may assist a fire department member for personal communications, but it is not the primary means for emergency communications, especially at a fire scene. There is also the issue of multiyear use agreements for cell phones, which is at odds with the fact that the program has a performance period of one year.
The AFG Program will accept applications that include the 800 MHz trunked radio systems and wireless technologies in support of interoperability. As with all grant requests, the burden is on the applicant to provide justification for the cost-benefit of this type of request. If awarded, a technical review will be conducted to ensure the system requested meets the state and local interoperability requirements.
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